University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Friday, April 21
Rock Hill, SC
6 pm
UNC Asheville
3
at
5
Winthrop
Asheville Drops Game One at Winthrop, 5-3
04.21.2023 | Baseball
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The UNC Asheville baseball team dropped the first game of its weekend series at Winthrop on Friday night by the score of 5-3. With Friday's loss, the Bulldogs move to 21-16 overall and 7-9 in Big South play.
Kohl Abrams led the way for the Bulldogs offensively on Friday going 2-for-3 with an RBI double and a walk. Michael Groves went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, while Robbie Burnett notched the lone home run in the game for Asheville. For Burnett, it marks his 13th home run of the 2023 campaign.
The Bulldogs used just three pitchers on Friday. Blake Little, who started the game for the Bulldogs, pitched 3.1 innings, allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits. Justin Needles ate up quite a few innings as the first arm out of the Bulldog bullpen tossing 4.1 innings. Needles also pitched well allowing one run (not earned) on three hits to go with three strikeouts in his relief appearance.
The Eagles got the scoring started in the first inning on Friday as McKinley Erves hit a two-run home run to give Winthrop the early 2-0 lead. Winthrop would double its lead in the fourth with two more runs to give the Bulldogs a four-run deficit to overcome.
Asheville got one of those runs back in the fifth. Groves led the inning off with a single. The Bulldog first baseman made his way around the bases and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ty Kaufman to make the score 4-1 Winthrop.
Winthrop promptly got that run back in the bottom of the fifth to extend its lead back to four, 5-1. Needles, however, did a wonderful job after that unearned run though, taking the game nearly the rest of the way for Asheville before Spencer Hill recorded the final out via a strikeout.
With Needles holding the Eagle offense in check, the Bulldogs got a couple runs back in the late innings. First, Burnett drilled a solo home run to make it a three-run game, 5-2, in the eighth inning. As mentioned earlier, it's Burnett's 13th home run of the season, which is tied for the sixth most by a Bulldog in a single season.
Abrams would drive Groves in, who reached with a walk, in the ninth. Unfortunately, that's where the rally for the Bulldogs stalled as Winthrop finished off the 5-3 win.
Asheville and Winthrop will resume their series tomorrow afternoon with the second game of the three-game weekend series. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Kohl Abrams led the way for the Bulldogs offensively on Friday going 2-for-3 with an RBI double and a walk. Michael Groves went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, while Robbie Burnett notched the lone home run in the game for Asheville. For Burnett, it marks his 13th home run of the 2023 campaign.
The Bulldogs used just three pitchers on Friday. Blake Little, who started the game for the Bulldogs, pitched 3.1 innings, allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits. Justin Needles ate up quite a few innings as the first arm out of the Bulldog bullpen tossing 4.1 innings. Needles also pitched well allowing one run (not earned) on three hits to go with three strikeouts in his relief appearance.
The Eagles got the scoring started in the first inning on Friday as McKinley Erves hit a two-run home run to give Winthrop the early 2-0 lead. Winthrop would double its lead in the fourth with two more runs to give the Bulldogs a four-run deficit to overcome.
Asheville got one of those runs back in the fifth. Groves led the inning off with a single. The Bulldog first baseman made his way around the bases and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ty Kaufman to make the score 4-1 Winthrop.
Winthrop promptly got that run back in the bottom of the fifth to extend its lead back to four, 5-1. Needles, however, did a wonderful job after that unearned run though, taking the game nearly the rest of the way for Asheville before Spencer Hill recorded the final out via a strikeout.
With Needles holding the Eagle offense in check, the Bulldogs got a couple runs back in the late innings. First, Burnett drilled a solo home run to make it a three-run game, 5-2, in the eighth inning. As mentioned earlier, it's Burnett's 13th home run of the season, which is tied for the sixth most by a Bulldog in a single season.
Abrams would drive Groves in, who reached with a walk, in the ninth. Unfortunately, that's where the rally for the Bulldogs stalled as Winthrop finished off the 5-3 win.
Asheville and Winthrop will resume their series tomorrow afternoon with the second game of the three-game weekend series. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Players Mentioned
INF
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INF/OF
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1B
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INF
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RHP
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RHP
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